Series: Mobile Suit in Action!! (MSiA)
Title: FA-78-1 Gundam Full Armor Type
Release Date: 04/2004
Suggested Price: ¥ 1500
No. of Parts: 1 Gundam Full Armor Type figure + 18 parts
Plastic colors: green, orange, gray, yellow, red
Gimmicks: beam rifle, tower shield, hand/fist (4), chest armor, backpack w/long-range cannon, shoulder armor (2), forearm armor (2), double beam cannon, small buckler shield, leg armor (4)

Introduction

Contributor: Jones Kingsu
Date: January 2, 2006

Perhaps the best MSV ever designed by Kunio Okawara. The FA-78-1 Gundam Full Armor Type finally arrived in MSiA form. Too bad it wasn’t the redesigned version of Hajime Katoki but the MSiA is faithful to Okawara’s design. 

Head

The head is the same as all RX-78 series of the OYW era. The mold is of standard quality. Color scheme’s much more realistic in military colors. Standard ball-and-socket attachment allows a full 360° rotation. Head tilts up and down about less than 15° though. The head’s deprived of armoring. That’s sad because I think it would add a menacing look to it but it would stray from the original MSV design. 

Torso

Sans the armor, the torso is also made from the same mold as the first RX-78-2 Gundam. It sports two pegs holes on the shoulders as mounting ports for the front armor (one on each side). No opening hatch folks since this is technically a first generation MSiA. The absence of a backpack is sad. It has to be equipped with the backpack to make it look complete. The backpack’s mounted via three peg holes in a triangle formation to hold it rigidly.

The figure actually looks better with the Torso Armors attached (of course since this is a Full Armor Gundam Figure). The front Armor gives it that bulk look like he can take a whole lot of beating. The mold isn’t that great and the quality of plastic used is of the breakable one (hard brittle). The design is faithful to the MSV illustration with all the panel linings, color markings and vents. The backpack is also faithful to the original design with the sensor package, movable verniers, and adjusting cannon. The verniers only allow vertical movements which makes the figure lack in detailed pose-ability. The cannon can be lowered and lifted to a 90° angle. Although the cannon seems to be able to rotate a bit horizontally, it doesn’t seem to be designed that way. The hinge mounting it to the backpack refuses to let it rotate properly. One bad thing about it is that it hits the V-Fin antenna of the head when the cannon’s lowered fully. It’s a good thing the V-Fin is made of rubber (soft) plastic. The cannon’s design is also faithful to the original illustration but bland in design.

The bare lower torso is also the same except for the rear skirt which has a couple of square peg holes right below the lower back and bottom of it. The front skirt also has a peg below. These pegs allowed the full armor skirts to be attached snugly. The skirt armors get in the way of articulation so don’t expect the figure to do some funky poses with its lower half. 

Arms

The shoulders are already in their armored state. This kind of sucks since it’d be nice the be able to remove the armors. The arms are attached via ball-and-socket which can be raised 45° sideways. Rotate-able above the single jointed elbow and a ball and socket wrist really makes this MSiA dated. (well… it is dated.) 90° elbow movement sucks. The arms also have a rectangular peg holes for the buckler shield and double beam cannon attachment. The forearm armors are slip-ons. Attaching them only require the removal of the hands and then “slip-on.” Good thing that they’re designed so that t won’t hamper the already 90° elbow articulation.  

Legs

The ball-and-socket attachment thighs to the pelvis gives it decent articulation but the single-jointed knees hampers the pose-ability. The ankles are extended and attached with double-jointed ball-and sockets. Of course this give the ankles excellent pose-ability but it’s for a reason. They’ve anticipated that the leg armor gets in the way and have extended the ankles. The feet are already armored and are detailed quite superbly. Too bad it’s below and no one can see it in plain sight. Leg armor attachment is easy with the snap fit system Bandai is so proud of. Simply match the left and right pieces and fit!  

Weapons and Accessories

The double beam cannon attaches to the peg hole on the arm and has a ball-and-socket attachment to the trigger/handle and sensor package. This guarantees that the figure will hold the weapon firmly. The design is faithful to the original MSV but still bland for my taste.

The buckler shield is plain awfully small. I don’t see why it needs to carry that along since it is already heavily armored. But it is in the original Okawara design so it’s not my place to question it. Attachment is via the same sized peg on the left arm.  

Conclusion

This figure is really dated. Its redeeming quality is that it’s a sturdy play and display MSiA. Although giving it a good pose is a challenge (and given that this was an old release) it ranks 3 in my book. Only get it if you’re a fan of the MSV series or the FA-78-1 itself.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

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